DC Mayor blames sequester for Navy Yard shooting

Washington Mayor Vincent Gray said the Navy Yard shooter may have gained access to the base because of the sequester.

In an interview with CNN, Gray speculated that the automatic budget cuts might have cut into security funds that would have prevented the alleged shooter from gaining access.

"It's hard to know," Gray in an interview on CNN. "We'll continue in this investigation. But certainly as I look at, for example, sequestration, which is about saving money in the federal government being spent. We somehow skimped on what would be available for projects like this, and then we put people at risk."

"Obviously, 12 people have paid the ultimate price for whatever was done to have this man on the base," Gray added.

The FBI has identified the shooter as Aaron Alexis, 34, and said he was a military contractor who had legitimate access to the Navy Yard.

Gray questioned how Alexis, a Navy reservist, was given security clearance, in light of reports that Alexis suffered from mental problems and had an arrest record.

"It really is hard to believe that someone with a record as checkered as this man could conceivably get clearance to be able to get on the base," Gray said.

4. Ergo, since both the sequester and the shootings are bad, obviously, the sequester is to blame.

Generally speaking, politicians are mostly brainless creatures with a spidey sense of how to manipulate people. It doesn't take intelligence of any kind to press the people's emotional buttons. All it takes is an ability to shamelessly exploit tragedy for political gain.

Washington Mayor Vincent Gray said the Navy Yard shooter may have gained access to the base because of the sequester.

In an interview with CNN, Gray speculated that the automatic budget cuts might have cut into security funds that would have prevented the alleged shooter from gaining access.

"It's hard to know," Gray in an interview on CNN. "We'll continue in this investigation. But certainly as I look at, for example, sequestration, which is about saving money in the federal government being spent. We somehow skimped on what would be available for projects like this, and then we put people at risk."

"Obviously, 12 people have paid the ultimate price for whatever was done to have this man on the base," Gray added.

The FBI has identified the shooter as Aaron Alexis, 34, and said he was a military contractor who had legitimate access to the Navy Yard.

Gray questioned how Alexis, a Navy reservist, was given security clearance, in light of reports that Alexis suffered from mental problems and had an arrest record.

"It really is hard to believe that someone with a record as checkered as this man could conceivably get clearance to be able to get on the base," Gray said.

4. Ergo, since both the sequester and the shootings are bad, obviously, the sequester is to blame.

Generally speaking, politicians are mostly brainless creatures with a spidey sense of how to manipulate people. It doesn't take intelligence of any kind to press the people's emotional buttons. All it takes is an ability to shamelessly exploit tragedy for political gain.